Protect our community from Sabal Trail –Beacon Baptist Church to Albany Mayor Hubbard

Received today. I added the links and illustrations and a few [notes]. -jsq

Copy of Letter sent to Albany Mayor Hubbard on behalf of Beacon Baptist Church opposing pipeline: Hello Mayor Hubbard,

I am writing to you on behalf of Beacon Baptist Church located at 5818 Newton Rd., Albany Ga. directly across from the proposed site for the Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy compressor station and pipeline route. 300x244 Beacon Baptist Church, across from Sabal Trail compressor station site, in Beacon Baptist Church, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 29 September 2014 We are asking you, as the Mayor of Albany, to take action in protecting our community by opposing the Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy pipeline. We have contacted County Commissioners and reached out to your office on several occasions about this issue. We have done extensive research compiling a list of some 6095 people across the US that have been negatively affected by Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy and other related pipelines. We have cited the numerous safety violations of Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy and the enormous fines that have been levied against them. It is our deep concern that after 51 years at our current location, the proposed project will have detrimental effects on both our physical environment and the health of our members. Our church, like most residents in District 5, uses well water. Compressor stations, like the one proposed by Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy are related to numerous incidents involving contaminated well water, degradation in air quality, noise pollution and even death for people living near these facilities. When accidents occur they tend to be devastating. For example:

1999 (June 10) a pipeline in Bellingham, Washington ruptured resulting in 3 deaths—the fire burned for 5 days.

2000 (August 20) a 30 inch pipeline in El Paso, Texas exploded killing 5 adults, 5 children and left 2 people in critical condition. The explosion left a crater 86 feet long 46 feet wide and 20 feet deep. [It was actually in New Mexico, and it cost El Paso Natural Gas Company $100M In Fine, Improvements. -jsq]

2010 (September 9) A 30 inch natural gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, California killing 8 people—eye witnesses reported an initial blast produced a wall of fire over 1000 feet high. [And PG&E demanded a compliant judge, resulting in one CPUC and three PG&E officials fired or resigned. -jsq]

2012 (December 12) a 20 inch transmission line exploded in Kanawha County, West Virginia which obliterated an 800 ft section of I-77, leveled four houses and impacted 40 families.

2013 (August 20) Natural gas pipeline exploded near Kiowa Southwest Oklahoma. [Which appears to be in the Woodford Shale region where FPL is fracking for methane. -jsq]

2013 (October 8) Natural gas pipeline exploded near Rosston, Oklahoma.

2014 (January 25) a natural gas pipeline ruptured and exploded in Winnipeg near Otterburg, Canada the entire area was evacuated while the fire burned for more than 12 hours.

These are just a few examples of dangerous accidents that have occurred over the last few years. There are also long term negative health impacts and environmental impacts from prolonged exposure to these facilities and the pollution they produce—air, water and noise that are well documented. As I mentioned earlier we have a list of 6095 such cases. It is our fear, that since the Albany City Commission has decided to table the issue and the county commission has not acted yet by taking a legal stand against it, that we, and the rest of the residents of District 5 and Dougherty County, will end up paying a severe price for inaction. We have nothing to gain and everything to lose. Please feel free to contact Pastor Reagan Marsh at 229-733-8019.

Sincerely,


Jon Gosa

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